Carpe Diem and All That Jazz
by Scifiroots
Summary: Companion piece to “Vive memor leti”, Scott reflects on what he’s noticed about Wolverine and Rogue.


_Carpe Diem_ and All That Jazz

**Author**: Clarity Scifiroots  
**Fandom**: X-men (post X2, movie-verse) / Cyclops' POV / Logan+Rogue  
**Regular disclaimers apply**. I believe it's Marvel and 20th Century Fox that are the big companies who own the rights to X-men.  
**Request details**: For trixiechick's "intimacy without smut" challenge. (I know I didn't show as much as I meant to, but it is the basis for this POV)  
**Summary**: Companion piece to "Vive memor leti" (my Logan POV I wrote earlier this month), Scott reflects on what he's noticed about Wolverine and Rogue.

Jean and I usually get along pretty well, meaning that we usually agree or at least come to a compromise. That's not to say we haven't had our rough spots, in fact, this thing that she and I _can't_ agree on involves the guy responsible for one of our rougher patches.

"There's time; be patient; wait until she's older," Jean keeps saying to both Logan and I. I love her, but I have to wonder what the hell she's thinking; she's supposed to have the advantage of telepathy, after all.

I hate to suggest it but I think her own feelings are getting in the way. I can say that without being a hypocrite, amazingly, because wouldn't it make more sense if I just continued to hate the guy with further backing of his womanizing ways? Problem with that is when I have even a moment to reflect it's easy to see the distinct difference between interaction of Logan and Jean versus Logan and Rogue.

Logan may piss me off when he flirts with my girl, but he's not a real threat. There's nothing serious in the manner that he drops his comments laced with innuendo—maybe there was once, but not for some time, now. He does it to get Jean riled up or, because it's usually more effective, to get me wound up.

But there's none of that when it comes to Rogue. Things started off looking like he was doing the "big brother" protectorate thing—with Rogue enthralled in hero worship—but I saw their exchange when he got back and I couldn't help but start to think about the events leading up to that point. Bobby was obviously unhappy to see the much-talked about Wolverine—a guy's not going to freeze somebody's hand in greeting unless he feels threatened.

Logan doesn't "handle" Rogue like he does most people. He lets her get away with things he'd probably gladly pulverize someone else for. Those two don't seem to know the meaning of personal space when they're together; Jean argues that Logan just realizes that even now in a place where people can understand her better, Rogue doesn't often have someone come close to her or touch her—even though there's many ways to do so without brushing her skin. Hell, I've seen Logan brush her hair away from her face without getting zapped—how come Bobby doesn't? She's the only one that can really get him to laugh, although it's still a rare sight. Logan can get amused by his own screwing around with people but there's really nothing that someone does that causes a reaction—except for her. Again Jean argues that he's lowered his walls a little because he was her first semblance of a "friend."

It's more than that, and I just don't see how Jean's missing it. Likely she's just in denial since she keeps telling Logan to back off; that's pretty funny in and of itself. Even I can recognize by now that he puts on an effort into enforcing the badass attitude. He might have a hell of attitude and cranky exterior but it's really not that difficult to see that there's more to him—we're all a little human, after all. I wonder if Jean realizes that with her warnings she's probably making him step backwards? It's not like he's really coming on to Rogue. Because of who he is he can't keep all of his conversations clean, but I notice the swearing and overt sexual references seem to tone down when she's nearby. Nothing's explicit with him and Rogue and I swear sometimes he even looks hesitant, like when he was holding her on Liberty Island—not just holding her, per se, but actually cradling her.

Jeez, what right does anyone have to tell them to back off and not go for it? I mean, let's keep certain things behind closed doors and from projecting into our resident telepaths' minds, but I have the sense Logan wouldn't let Rogue rush in even if she wanted to. They both have issues to work through before some of those final barriers can come down anyway, it'd be better to start breaking them down now before any new ones might come up.

Fine, then, if Jean's going to interfere then so am. Time waits for no one, after all, and they could probably do with knowing at least someone's backing them up.

** Fin **


End file.
